Unit: Student Counseling Services

TikTok, body image, and eating concerns

Flowers in front of Cook Hall

While social media has made paved its way into our lives for good, new apps with new ways of connecting are popping up all the time. The latest and most widely used is TikTok with over 2.6 BILLION downloads.
Like all social media apps- TikTok has its own set of pros and cons that contribute to users, body image and eating habits. While the app has proven for great entertainment and even a source of knowledge, the randomness of the app’s For You Page provides an outlet to unsolicited harmful content to those struggling with negative body image and eating disorders

What is body dysmorphia?

campus in summer

The more a culture puts high value on extreme standards, the more extreme measures individuals are going to take to fit in.

Body image, eating disorders, and the LGBTQ+ population

flowers with building in background

Eating disorders can affect anyone and it is important for treatment specialists to educate themselves on how sexuality and gender identity can play a role in eating disorder development or a negative body image in order to provide the best care possible.